Three days, 30 venues and 3,000 wristband holders: earlier this month cocktail-revellers took over the city as Birmingham Cocktail Weekend 2016 arrived in full-force. Serving up over 17,000 cocktails over the course of the weekend, and doubling last year’s wristband sales, BCW2016 was a sold-out success.  

After an extremely successful launch last year, Birmingham Cocktail Weekend returned for the second year running, keen to maintain its stellar reputation. 2015 saw 23 venues shaking up signature cocktails and 1,500 wristband-wearers exploring the city. This year saw the event reach its capacity, with 3,000 wristband bought, making the event a sell-out while doubling last year’s figures.

This year, the three-day event was bigger and better than ever, with 30 of Birmingham’s best-loved venues taking part. These included BCW veterans Malmaison, Gas Street Social, The Lost and Found, Hotel du Vin, as well as brand new venues such as Harvey Nichols, Marco Pierre White’s, The Botanist and Fleet Street Kitchen to name a few. Cocktail lovers were directed to the Jim Beam Hub at Island Bar, where they were able to collect their wristband and kick-start their weekend with a taster of Jim Beam’s extensive range of Bourbon. Birmingham Cocktail Weekend helped cocktail-connoisseurs to get to know the brands behind some of the best-loved tipples: wristband-wearers were treated to free masterclasses, tastings and exclusive events, led by brands such as Jim Beam, Bacardi, Grey Goose, Langley’s and many more.

Speaking about the success of Birmingham Cocktail 2016, founder and organiser Alex Nicholson-Evans said,

“I set up BCW as a way to encourage people in Birmingham to step out of their comfort zone, venturing further than their local to discover new flavours in places they might not usually explore. I’m so glad that so many people got to use BCW as a platform to try new things and uncover new places.

“I am absolutely amazed at the success of BCW2016. I am thrilled to say that the event was a sell out and 3,000 people were able to enjoy the event, doubling last year figures! I cannot wait to see what next year has in store: bring on Birmingham Cocktail Weekend 2017!”

Keep up to date with Birmingham Cocktail Weekend on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and remember to keep your eyes peeled for BCW2017!